SECTION 1. Chapter 148 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 26F1/2 the following section

Section 26F3/4. (a) Every dwelling, building or structure, including those owned or operated by the commonwealth, occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes, that contains methane or propane emitting equipment including, but not limited to, a furnace, boiler, water heater, fireplace or any other apparatus or device that emits methane or propane shall be equipped by the owner with working, approved natural gas alarm to be placed within proximity to the equipment in conformance with the requirements of the board of fire prevention regulations; provided, however, that such requirements shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that a landlord or superintendent shall install either approved monitored battery-powered alarms or approved electrical wiring alarms as defined by the board, as are required to make the alarms operational at the beginning of any rental period by lease or otherwise and shall maintain and, if necessary, replace batteries or such battery-operated or electric hardwired natural gas alarms annually thereafter to insure their continued operability.

(b) The board of fire prevention regulations shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this section including, but not limited to, the type, installation, location, maintenance and inspectional requirements of natural gas alarms.

(c) Every dwelling, building or structure, occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes, shall, upon sale or transfer of such dwelling, building or structure, be inspected by the head of the fire department for compliance with the requirements of this section.

(d) The state building code may impose stricter natural gas alarm requirements for new construction or dwellings, buildings, or structures substantially renovated so as to constitute the equivalent of new construction. Every such dwelling building or structure, occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes, shall, upon sale or transfer of such dwelling, building or structure, be inspected by the head of the fire department for compliance with the natural gas alarm requirements of the state building code in effect on the date of the issuance of the relevant building permit.

(e) The head of the fire department shall enforce this section.

(f) The department of public health shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate subsection (a) into the state sanitary code as established under section 127A of chapter 111.

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